Artemis I

November 16, 2022

Artemis 1 was successfully launched by NASA on November 16, 2022.

What is Artemis 1?

Artemis 1 is the first integrated flight test of NASA’s Deep Space Exploration Systems – the six-person Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
It has 24 cameras – 8 on the SLS rocket and 16 on the Orion spacecraft.
It will assess the integrated systems by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and the safe recovery of the crew module after re-entry, descent and splashdown.
Besides sending Orion to the targeted lunar orbit, the SLS carries 10 small satellites that will perform their own science and technology investigations.
As part of this mission, the Orion spacecraft will pass through the Van Allen radiation belts (part of the Earth’s magnetosphere), GPS satellite constellation, and communication satellites in the Earth’s orbit.
It will move close to 62 miles above the lunar surface and move past the Moon and way deeper into space, orbiting some 70,000 km from the Moon.

Why is this mission significant?

Artemis 1 will provide the foundation for human deep space exploration and human exploration and existence on the Moon and beyond. It is the foundation of the space economy. It paves the way towards creating new industries and technologies, supporting employment opportunities, and further increasing the demand for a highly skilled labour force. It puts NASA closer to putting the first woman and next man back on the lunar surface after over 5 decades.

About Artemis 2 mission

Artemis 2 mission, which is scheduled to be launched in 2024, will be a crewed mission. A four-member human crew will be part of this mission. It will be built based on the uncrewed Artemis 1 flight test. The mission is expected to last for 10 days. The crew of this mission will travel 4,600 miles beyond the far side of the Moon. This mission will be followed by Artemis 3, which will send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon’s surface at the south pole.

The first three missions under the Artemis program will play a major role in testing the hardware, software and ground systems that can one day help establish a base on the lunar surface and transport the first humans to Mars.

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